Instrument for canceling postage and revenue stamps



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES S. WELLS, OF CHICOPEE, MASSACHUSETTS.

INSTRUMENT FOR CANCELING POSTAGE AND REVENUE STAMPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 50,058, dated September 19, 1865.

To all lwhom 'it may concern.-

v Be it known that I, CHARLES S. WELLS, of Chicopee, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Device for Canceling Postage and Revenue Stamps; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ot' the same, reference being had to Wend of a tube which is provided with a spiral slot, said tube being iitted within a case, within which and the tube a plunger works, the latter having a lateral-projecting pin, which is fitted within the spiral groove ot' the cuttertube, all being arranged, in connection with a spring, to operate as hereinafter set forth.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct myinvention, I will proceed to describe it. l

A represents the case of the implement, which may be ot' cylindrical or an approximate t'orm, and having a iiaring or bell-shapelower end, a. The upper end of the case has a screw-cap, B, tted upon it, through which a cylindrical plunger-rod, C, passes, said rod having atea-ther or longitudinal cleat, b, which works in a notch in the edge of the opening in the cap B, through which the rod C passes, and prevents the rod C from turning. The rod C, near its lower end, is provided with a laterally-projecting pin, c, which is fitted and works in a slot, d, made in a tube, D, the latter being placed within the case A, and having a portion, e, at its lower end of smaller diameter than its other part, said part c having its lower edge tiled or cut to form saw-shaped teeth. This toothed part e of the tube D is a circular cutter, which projects a trie below the face a of the case A, and a shoulder, f, which is formed on the tube D, in consequence t the smaller diameter of the cutter, is made to bear upon a shoulder, g, in the case A by means of a spiral spring, E, the upper end of which bears against a washer, h, on the rod C, said washer bearn g against a pin, i, which passes transversely through the rod C. The lower end of the spring E bears against a washer, j, which is in contact with the upper end ot' the tube D. This spring also has atendency to keep the rod C elevated, the pin i bearing against the under side of the cap B.

The implement or device is used as follows: The face a of the case A is placed upon the `stamp to be canceled and the rod C forced down by the hand of the operator. As the rod C is pressed down, the tube D and cutter c are rotated in consequence ofthe pin c of the rod C working in the spiral groove or slot d of the tube D. The cutter c cuts a circular hole in the stamp, as shown in Fig. 1, and et'- fectually defaces or cancels it. When therod C is relieved from the pressureot' the hand the spring E throws it up again to its original position, and the implement or device is again ready for use.

I am aware that a canceling-stamp has before been made with a cutter rotated within its handle by pressing down the latter, as described in a patent granted to S. W. Francis on the 21st day of April, 1863.

My device is superior to the above in providin g an outer casing which rests firmly upon the paper, gages the cut, and remains stationary while the cutter turns within it, so that the latter is rotated with greater ease and effeet, and the depth of all parts of it cut more accurately gaged.

Having .thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The tube D, provided with a spiral groove or slot, d, and having a cutter, e, at its lower end, in combination with the rod C, provided with a lateral pin, c, tted in the groove or slot d of the tube D, the above parts being-within a case, A, which constitutes a gage, resting firmly on the paper and remaining stationary while the cutter turns within it, and all arranged in connection with a spring, E, to operate in the manner substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

CHARLES S. WELLS.

Witnesses:

Taos. L. J. DOUGLAS, GEO. W. REED. 

